4th graders called their favorite cleaning lady about a mess, but she walked into the surprise of a lifetime

Saying goodbye to someone you love and value is never easy, but it is also a chance to show them just how much they meant to you, and a bunch of fourth-grade students went that way with their favorite person's farewell. When they found out that their beloved cleaning lady was about to retire, they decided to give her a wholesome surprise that had both her and the viewers shed many a tear. The moment was shared by @uciteljvanja on TikTok, with a caption written in Croatian, which loosely translates to, "The retirement of our housekeeper, Biserka. The 4th-grade students decided to surprise our favorite housekeeper by pretending there was spilled ink that needed to be cleaned up."

In the video, the cleaning lady can be seen sitting with her eyes closed, with one of the students guiding her to put her hands forward. One by one, children begin placing chocolates and notes atop her outstretched arm, with the pile gradually growing into a tower. Once she opens her eyes, she looks at all the gifts, and the waterworks begin promptly — it is clear that the gesture has moved her. Later in the video, the students gather around the woman — her face tearful but lit up — and commence an adorable group hug. The video clearly struck a chord with a lot of viewers, amassing over a million likes. People were moved and impressed by the level of empathy, kindness, and gratitude that this group of 10-year-olds showed.

@stelios_st_ wrote, "Maybe this generation ain’t that ruined after all." @idalip__ added, "She's not even the teacher, she's the cleaner and they still respect and like her." @d1906b commented, "Didn't understand a word but understood the gesture. Love is universal." @lorenzkhler chimed in, "A quick reminder: Everyone contributes to society, even those you might not see much because they work at night, and all of them need some appreciation every now and then." @antiochusff, "It's not about the chocolate. It's about the appreciation, respect, and love."

@krattkata shared, "My classmate's mother was the bell ringer/guard in our small school and she was the nicest lady ever! We all were devastated when she died. I remember it so clearly." @martapastor05 wrote, "I really wish and expect to do my job as good as her and be able to inspire this type of love in my future students." @minjonalaura said, "This made me cry. My grandma was a cleaning lady at my primary school. Kids were talking sh** behind her and bullying me. And I would’ve done anything for kids like this around." @uschimarcu quipped, "This is how to teach your children to treat every person with respect!"

In a similar story, an entire class pulled off a wholesome surprise for their favorite teacher on his birthday. In a video shared by @prlsgrad2024 on TikTok, the class tricked him into rushing to break up a fake fight, only for him to discover a room adorned with decorations and a birthday cake waiting inside. The celebration, which included a touching caption about his unwavering support and energy, read, "Mr. Fili isn't our 'favorite teacher' just because he allows us to have fun and doesn't play by the rules, but it is because of his passion for his students. No matter how tired he is each day, he still comes to school and games with energy to give us the best high school experience we could ever ask for."

You can follow uciteljvanja (@uciteljvanja) on TikTok for more teaching content, and prlsg24(@prlsgrad2024) on TikTok for more classroom content.